detwilee



v 2 She et s sheet 1.

(No Model.)

8.. DETWILER. APPARATUS FOR AGITATINGAND BLENDING POWDERED MATERIALS.

Patented Aug INVENTOH ATTORNEY.

mp-Du STAT S PATENT OFFICE.

' JOHN b. DETWILER, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOK 'l'U' WILLIAM P. LOGAN, OF SAME' PLAOE.

APPARATUS FOR AGITATING AND BLEN DING POWDERED MATERIALS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters PatentNo. 525,138? dated August 28, 1894.

-' i l icanon filed March 25,1893. satin No. 467,612. (No model.)

T0 allzqh'om it may concern: A I

'Beitkno'wn that LJOHNS. DETWILER, a

citizen of; the UnitedStates, residing at the city or Philadelphia, in the county of Phila delphia and State of Pennsylvaniahave invented certain new and useful Improvements in Apparatus forAgitating and Blending Powdered Materials, of which the following is a specification. v'

My invention has relation to apparatus for breaking up, reducing, freeing from moisture and blending together ditferentvpulverized orpowdered substances or materials.

It isa well known fact inthe manufacture of flour or powdered substances in general, that a certain amountof heat is generated in the reduction of the sameto'a powdered state and that such heat generated causes the sugara'ndgummy constituents of the grain or analogous materials, to become pastyor ea hesive, so that when the ',pow lered grain is conducted from the reducingt roll or millstones, such sticky constituents in the re duped grain to a greater or less degree readheres, thereby causingv fermentation and the more or less pulverized and lumpy particles of the reduced grain to sour.' ,Another defect inthe practiced methods of milling arises from allowance of a large percentage of moisturetoyremain in the ground and bolted'grain, which causes as a consequence fermentation and ultimate souring, thereby rendering thefiour ,or equivalent substance v unfit for subsequent use,

The principal objects of myinvention are first, to overcome the above mentioned disadvantageous features and various defects arising in thetreatmcnt of grainor the like to adapt the same for use and to provide a comparatively simple, inexpensive and efficient apparatus for thoroughly breaking up, reducing, freeing moisture from and blending intimatelytogether the infinitesimal particles of different pulverized or powdered substances or materials; andsecond, to provide an apparatus "for subjecting the fresh ground and bolted grain to the influence of mechanical agitation to cause the thorough breaking hp of the different more or less adheringor lumpy particles of the conglomerate mass and by the aid'of air or as hv en nem vsecured to a vertical shaft E, wh

. sion of the vparticles, causing the intimate blending together of the difierent infinitesimal particles of the mass and during such agitation and air or gas suspension of the same, removing heat and moisture therefrom and collecting the intimately blended together or thoroughly commingled mass in bulk freed from noxious vapors, heat and moisture in a healthy or purified condition, and free also from any tendency to fermentation or subsequent souring thereof.

My invention consists of th'eimprovoments hereinafter described and claimed.

The nature and general features of my invention will be more fully understood from the following description taken in connection with theaccompanying drawings illustrating an apparatus which has been fouud'efficient for the practice of my.v invent-ion; and in whichv Figure 1, is a vertical central section through an apparatus designed for the conduct of myinventionr Fig 2, is a front elevational view of one of the air separating chambers of the apparatus such as illustrated in Fig. l. Fig. 3, is a top or plan view of the apparatus; and Fig. 4, is ahoriz'ontal section on the line 90- 00, of Fig. 1.

Referring to the drawings, A isa vertically disposed cylindrical drum or shell provided as illustrated in Fig. I, with four internal chambers A, A A and A 3 The'bottoms of the chambers are respectively provided with spider-fra1ues B, B', B and B Thespider frame 13, in the chamber A, -is covered with moderately coarse meshed wire gauze, and the spider frame of each (if the other chamhers is covered with wire gauze b, b b and b but the mesh of each covering is of gradually increasing fineness; Traveling over each ofthese wire gauze bottoms, and in close contact therewith is a series of Qbr'ushes designated in each chamber respectively by the letters 0, 0', C and 0 These brushesfiare secured to arms or frames D, D'} D and D ch is caused to rotate in the direction of t e arrows as illustrated in Figs. 1 and 3,-and; having its bottom bearing E, in thecenter pf the frame B. This bearing E, is composediof anti-friction metal, and is se1f-1ubricatiiig, and covered in such a manner as that it is fully protented from dirt or other extraneous matter. [he upper cndof the shaft E, is mounted in a clamp bearing E ,in order to permit of the free rotation thereof, as well as a slight vertical movement so as to cause the brushes 0, C, C and C to be brought simultaneously toward the respective gauze covered spider frames B, B B and B and to compensate for any wear of the brushes arising from contin ual usethereof. Itwilll eobserved thatthe shaft E, extends upward tl. rough the bearing E and the hub of a pulley E, which is mounted thereon and by a sliding key or feather is secured thereto. F, is a washer and F and F are janrnu'ts. The washer F, is faced upon both surfaces, whereof one surface is in contact with the hub of the pulley, and whereof the other is in contact with thelowerjam-nut F. The jam-nuts F and F are threaded, and engage with a thread upon the shaft E, and by turning the same the shaft E, may be readily adjusted to insure the requisite bearing to the brushes 0, C, and to and against the gauze covered spider frames l3, ll, and B. The respective brush frames D, l), I) and D, have horizontal oblong openings therein for the free circulation of air or gas for purposes to be presently fully explained. The top brush frame I), supportsto required position we vertically disposed brushes G and G, having their bristles projecting outward and in such manner as to travel across and J, are solid and airtight.

a series of openings II and ll,locatedat suitable distances apart and provided in the wall or shell A, and covered with fine wire gauze h and 7:. The brushes Gam1G,are adapted to sweep over the same in the rotation of the brush frames by the operation of the shaft E. The openings I[ and l are in direct communication with a seri s of air or gas separating chambers J, J and J located on the outside surface of the drum or. shell A as illustrated in Fig. 2, showing the front wall of one of these chambers partially covered with tine wire gauze J. The other portions'of the outer walls of the chambers J, J These cham-' here are narrow and long and extend from a point from nearly the top to the bottom of the shell or drum A, and in connection with the drum or shell'A at K and K, at or near the bottom thereof. The openings K and K, are provided with automatic counterbalanced valves K hinged in hearings in thesurfaces of the chambers, one bearing extending outward far enough to carry a lever with a balancing weighl K which is adjustably sup ported to said lever and in such manner as to maintain the valve tightly closed, when required.

In the lower chamber A, is an opening L, inclined slightly in an upward direction and so as to cause an initial upward movement of air or gas, in the chamber A, introduced from the blowerL, having adirectcommunication with said chamber by means of a pipe connectiou, as illustrated in Fig. 4. The blower forces the air or gas into the chamber A, in the direction indicated by the arrow in Fig. 4, when power is applied to the blower L, by means of a pulley L having a band L, surrounding a pulley L which'is mounted on a shaft M, held in bearings M and M in the main frame of the apparatus. At the extremity of the shaft M, opposite the pulley L is a pulley N, having a hand N passing around the same and a pulley N. The pulley N, is secured to the main driving shaft:

N, which is supported in bearings N. On the main driving shaft N", is mounted a pulley O, for communicating motion bymeans of an endless belt 0, to pulleys 0 as illustrated in Fig. 3, and to the pulley E, which is mounted on the shaft E. The pulleys 0 are mounted upon a shaft located in swivel bearings 0 so that they may befree to turn and properly guide the belt 0'. These bearings are held in position by bolts passing through slots, and are adapted to permit also of the proper adjustment thereof. driving shaft N', are mounted loose andfast pulleys P and P, for actuating and stopping materials to enter contin uously therethrough.

As the proportion of the materialto be treated must be regulated in proportion to the volume of air or gas presented thereto by the blower L, there is placed in the pipe L, which connects the blower with the chamber-A a regulating valve R, adapted to control the required volume of air or gas in proportion to the materials undergoing treatment in the apparatus.

The material passing through the machine ,falls by gravity or is collected under the frame B, in a funnel shaped discharge hopper 5, which is connected with a suitable roceptacle, and to enable a receptacle t0 belocated beneath the machine, the same is mounted upon legs T, T, T and T", as illustrated for example, in Fig. 1.

The operation of the machine hereinbefore described, is as follows:lower is applied to the driving shaft N, to cause motion to be imparted to the moving parts of the machine,

Upon the the openin s and Q, in small continuous streams or the like and fall upon the wire gauze covered spider frame or bottom B, of the chamber A, in" a more or less lumpy or adhering together conglomerate mass, where,

by means of the mechanical agitation permitted'thereiut-lle different materials are broken up and reduced to infinitesimal particles and by the aid of air or gas in volume entering and rising floats and holds in suspension momentarily the said particles of the the aid of the rotatable brush arms or frames D, is again thoroughly agitated in its conrmingled or blended state, freed from moisture and by ineans of the rotary brushes of the chamber A it is forced through "the wire gauze covered bottom B, thereof into the next chamber Ai'where' the materials in a stillmore finelydivided and 'blendedstate undergo practically the same treatment and are again forced-by the series of rotary brushes Di into the chamber A into the next chamber A becoming finer and finer each time until finally the-blended together mass by gravil y falls into'gand through the hopper S, into asuitable receptacle in a highly purified, dry and perfectly blended together state or condition and entirely free from any tendency to fermentation or subsequent souring thereof. It may be here remarked that in each chamber the different commingled particles are more and more intimately blended together, until the mass in bulk is freed from the machine for use.

The air or gas when it first enters the chamber A, will endeavor to force its way in the direction of the path of least resistance, which is naturally through the'sieve which forms the top of the chamber A,'the bottom of said chamber A, having a finer mesh of wire gauze, accumulates more of the blended together materials than the chamber A. Consequently such aiii'angement constitutes a protection to the materials in undergoing treatment and preventsdownward movement of the air or. gas through the. screen of' the chamber A*', communicating with the funnel shaped discharge hopper S,'int0 and through which the thoroughly blended or commingled materials in bulk free from any agitating infiuences are discharged into asuitable recep-,

taele. As the air or gas from the blower is ,forced upward, it retards the falling of the materials to 'a certain degree, proportionate to its force andjthe'quantity of materials having a tendency "to descend by gravity or oth erwise. The air orgas is passed from chamber to chamber-in an upward direction, through the differentiscreen's or sieves in the bottoms of the respective chambers of differ- 7o ent degrees of fineness until it reaches the topmost chamber'A', from whenceit passes through the openings H and H, and carrying .with it'in suspension a certain quantity-or proportion of :the'materia'ls inafinely divided 7 5 or -comminuted state, and if the air'or gas should be allowed ,to pass out without make in'g proper provision for the removal of such comminutcd or fihely'jdividedmaterials, the I result would be a serious; loss of matter :undergoing treatment. This loss; however, 1s." effectually prevented by allowing the air or gas and fine particles of the blended together materialsto pass through the series of screened. openings/H and H, into the respective separating chambers J, J andJa' ,The materials tending to accumulateabout themeshes of the wire gauze covered openingsH and H, are removed from off the same' by the rotaryandjsnch matter falls in a downwarddired tion in said chambers. As the screens inthe openings Hand H, onlypartially remove the finely divided substances from the air or gas, the remainder must be-caught and collected, and this is accomplished by permitting the air or gas and powdered materials to remain in a quiescent statein the separating chamhers J, J and J. The outer wall of each of these chambers is by preference partially we covered with wire gauze and fine enough to prevent any of the dust or fineparticlesfroin passingthrouglithesame; The comminuted materials and air or gasremaining in these chambers in a quiescent state, undera slight I05 pressure will separate by' gravity and fall to the'bottom of the respective separating chamhers, resting upon the hinged valve'sK' and K and when accumulatingto a given weight, the valves will be automatically opened and in the comminuted materials conveyed into the chamber A, to be there caused to cominingle v or blend with the materialst-herein, and passing from thence throughthe screen or sieve of the chamber A into the fnnnelshaped ,"(15 'dischargehopper S, and discharging therefrom into a suitable receptacle, for use.

It will be observed that the quantity of materials treated can be increased or decreased by the regulation of the'air or gas supply as a large volume of air orgas will retard the. progress of the materials through the machine, while a small quantity of air or gas will allow the same to pass vthrough much: more rapidly, but the quantity can readily be 1:25 increased, whichof course will not require solonga time to eitect the required treatment -thereof.

Having thus described the natureand ob-. jects of my invention what I claim as new, :30 and desire to securebyLetters Patent,-is-- a 1. An apparatus for treating powderedmaterial's, comprising a shell divided into a ses" ries of,,chambers .witlipertorated bottomsa movement of the vertical brushes G'and G'," 0'

rotatable shaft provided with slotted frame? having brushes adapted to sweep [over the perforations in said bott ms, outlets in the wall of one of said chambers leading to separating chambers having automatic va v connected therewith, an air or gas inlet in the lower part of said shell, a blowing engine @011 nected therewith, inlets conuectedwith the top of said shell and provided with regulating valves, and means for actuating said shaft and blowing engine, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

2. An apparatus for treating powdered materials, comprising a shell divided into a series of chambers having perforated bottomsand each provided with rotatable agitating and sweeping devices mounted on a vertical t shaft, inlets and outlets in said shell, a discharge hopper in the bottom thereof, separating chambers connected at the top and bottom with said shell and providedwith automatic valves, and means for actuating the moving parts of the machine, substantially as and for the purposes set forth. 5

3. An apparatus for treating powdered materials, comprising a shell divided into a series of chambers having spiderframe bottoms rfi ipfictively covered with wire gauze of differen-t degrees of fineness, agitating and brushing devices mountedon an adjustable shaft, inlets in the top'with' regulating valves for the admission of materials into said shell,

an air or gas blast in the lower part, an outlet hopper in the bottom, separating chambers arranged around the periphery of said shell and each connected therewith and provided with valves for automatically control: ling the discharge of material in mass from said separating chambers into thelower part of the shell, and means for actuating sail shaft and controlling said air or gas blast, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto subscribed my name,in the presence of two wit messes, at Philadelphia, on this 21st day of March, 1.893. I

JOHN S. DE'IWILER. Witnesses:

Geo. W. REED, (Inns. 0. COLLIER.

Kait in: 

